Oma, Natural

Gesha Village lies in the Bench Maji zone of South Western Ethiopia, not far from the border with South Sudan. This area, in the high altitude humid forests where the Great Rift Valley passes into South Sudan, is thought to be the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and is still home to great genetic diversity. Here at Gesha Village however, one varietal sits in the spotlight; Geisha.

Adam Overton and Rachel Samuel first travelled to Ethiopia in 2007 to make a documentary about its unique method of coffee production, and fell in love with the country. They decided during that short trip that they would eventually move to the country to start producing coffee themselves. They found a 471 hectare plot of land in Bench Maji, further west than we normally find specialty coffee in Ethiopia, in a remote area of untouched high altitude forest. The wild forest remained as coffee was planted, maintaining as much as possible of the biodiversity so crucial to the Ethiopian mode of production, while also providing ample shade for the fragile Geisha trees.

Gesha Village is located only around 20 km from the Gori Gesha forest, where the hallowed varietal of the same name was first isolated by British researchers in 1931. When preparing Gesha Village, the team behind the project trekked into the forest and gathered seeds from the wild coffee trees growing there, selecting those that genetically resembled the original 1931 expedition Geisha.

This lot of Gesha 1931 was grown on the Oma plot of Gesha Village, reaching up to 2040 masl. The cherries were harvested at the end of January 2026 and underwent a careful washed process.

Following the harvest, the cherries are pulped and allowed to ferment naturally for 12-36 hours before being thoroughly washed. The coffee are then dried carefully on African raised beds, preserving the clarity and delicate character that defines this lot.

The washed process at Gesha Village highlights the intrinsic qualities of the Gesha 1931 variety, allowing the unique terroir of the Oma lot to shine through.

Produced by Gesha Village in the Bench Maji region of Ethiopia, this lot features the Geisha varietal. While the name "Oma" is associated with this specific release, it is important to note that this coffee underwent a washed processing method, which typically emphasizes a clean, bright acidity and refined clarity compared to natural-processed counterparts.

The Geisha varietal is globally celebrated for its distinct floral aromatics and tea-like elegance, often requiring careful roasting to preserve its delicate profile. When evaluating the nuances of such a high-profile cultivar, tasters often consult a flavor wheel to identify the complex interplay of citrus and jasmine notes that frequently define the cup. By focusing on the intersection of regional terroir and meticulous post-harvest handling, this offering provides a clear look at how traditional washing techniques can highlight the inherent characteristics of one of the world’s most sought-after coffee plants.